Dailey, who ran unsuccessfully against Space in 2008, lost last month's primary to Gibbs by just 156 votes — a margin so thin it triggered an automatic recount.

Officials are still waiting for the final results from Vinton County, one of the 16 counties in Space's district, but the county is so small that any change is unlikely to alter the outcome of the race.

Gibbs has already started campaigning against Space, attacking him for his votes on cap-and-trade legislation and accusing him of ties to Nancy Pelosi.

"Now the time has come for everyone to come together and support my efforts with my message of policies that encourage private sector job growth and stop job-killing initiatives like cap and tax that Zack Space voted for," Gibbs said in a statement Friday.

In 2008, Dailey took 40.2 percent to Space's 59.8 percent. But he says the climate this year will work in Republicans' favor.

"Last time was a difficult year for Republicans. As [Indiana Rep.] Mike Pence says, it's a whole lot more like surfing than it is like sprinting, you have to catch the wave," Dailey said. "If I were running I would definitely hold Zack Space accountable for his votes on the stimulus, on cap and trade which just drives the coal industry crazy. He has a voting record now that he didn't have on contentious issues the first time he ran for reelection."

"I think he's vulnerable, and my only regret is I'm not the candidate that's going to take him down," Dailey said.